Volcanic rock

[Nick House]

Re: Volcanic rock

Thanks I will think about a cob oven, it had crossed my mind. But as others have suggested I should be able to get the materials needed somewhere not too far away, or at least in country! Thanks

[monty.craig]

Re: Volcanic rock

You might want to do some research on Cob Ovens if brick isn't readily available. They aren't nearly as sturdy as brick ovens, but the materials are usually easily gotten. A Google research will bring up a ton of info. That's how I found this website!

Hope this might help.

Monty

[lwood]

Re: Volcanic rock

Philippines archipelago has 7,100 islands.......... at low tide. Careful about buying beach-front property. haha

[Nick House]

Re: Volcanic rock

True and True.

Like no other beaches I have ever seen, white sand crystal clear waters, and great weather all year round.

[Lburou]

Re: Volcanic rock

Thank you. I will search for a supplier near to the island where we have our property, I am sure there will be one. We have property in a very remote place and wanted to try and use local materials. We will have a look out and see what we can do. Thanks

Is it true that Indonesia has ove 15, 000 islands?

A lot of beach for sale there.

[lwood]

Re: Volcanic rock

Here in the Philippines, red fire brick is readily available. Should be the same in Indonesia. Try to find a place where they mine perlite, it's a great insulating matl. Even the unexpanded perlite. They mine it everywhere here. It's used in light-weight construction.

[Nick House]

Re: Volcanic rock

Thank you. I will search for a supplier near to the island where we have our property, I am sure there will be one. We have property in a very remote place and wanted to try and use local materials. We will have a look out and see what we can do. Thanks

[Lburou]

Re: Volcanic rock

Hello Nick House,
....snip....You might find a local source for clay and make a cob oven with cinder insulation and basalt exterior. If you intend to make the oven from cut lava rock then you should find a source for refractory mortar materials and cement. A demolished brick building might provide enough solid red brick to make a hearth. However, a Google search revealed a number of stone suppliers and refractory brick producers in Indonesia. ....snip....
Bob

The local refractory I visited sold all the rare items we need for a specialized wood fired oven. If you could expand Bob's search for a refractory in Indonesia and ship a few firebricks, ceramic insulation (for the top of the oven), and rigid refractory insulation (for the oven floor) to your locale, you would have the hot portions of your oven. Then, finish it with local materials: The best of both worlds.

[Nick House]

Re: Volcanic rock

Thanks I will keep that in mind. I am trying really hard to get all sorts of info from as many people as possible so that when the time comes, hopefully in the summer, I am a firm believer in starting to research nice and early, I will be in the best possible situation. Wow that was a really long and convoluted sentence, sorry. I will try and find the light coloured clay I am fairly sure it is a bit darker than what you describe, but I may be mistaken. Thanks, all of this sort of advice is great and I thank you all.

[Lburou]

Re: Volcanic rock

...snip... I do know that we can get clay easily, by digging it up from a friends garden so that could be a very good way of doing this. And we will keep an eye out for some old buildings to nab the bricks from. Thanks for your valuable advice, I will continue to read up and research as much as possible, before we get home and start to build. Thanks again.

The more information you gather, the better decisions you can make when the time comes.

When you are looking for clay, look for a light colored clay, one about the color of desert combat boots -could even be a shade lighter. Alumina is about that color and alumina is one of the more important components for making fireclay and fire bricks (and, fornobrabo 'home brew' mortar).

[Nick House]

Re: Volcanic rock

Mainly people don't use fire to cook with in fireplaces. So the local rock is not really used that much, not even in building, most people use wood. I agree that using local knowledge is the best way forward, I will do some research as soon as I get home. I have downloaded the plans and have seriously started to read them. I also looked online for brick suppliers and there are many, but as our property is not near any of those places it would be very hard to get them delivered. I do know that we can get clay easily, by digging it up from a friends garden so that could be a very good way of doing this. And we will keep an eye out for some old buildings to nab the bricks from. Thanks for your valuable advice, I will continue to read up and research as much as possible, before we get home and start to build. Thanks again.

[azpizzanut]

Re: Volcanic rock

Hello Nick House,

Volcanic rock can be used in the base construction and outside covering of an oven.

The biggest hurdle is to determine which volcanic rock can be used to hold heat and make a hearth then finding a method to cut that rock to workable size. You want the hearth as flat as possible and with tight joints. Lightweight cinders or pumice can be used for insulation, as already mentioned. You need dense rock inside the oven to hold heat and layers of light rock on the exterior to insulate.

My research of island ovens provided a few photos and descriptions of examples made by Portuguese settlers in Hawaii. The hearth appeared to be made of brick. Portuguese Stone Oven Baking | Kona Historical Society Most "ovens" made by native peoples were of the pit variety where stones are heated by fire in an earthen hole then native foods placed on wet vegetable matter, then covered with more leaves and then earth from the hole. The food cooked by steam. Settlers from Europe constructed ovens like those made in their homeland and which we are more familiar with for baking bread. Settlers could otherwise use pit ovens or an open fire for roasting. It would have been easy to bring enough brick by ship for a hearth (as ballast) then use native materials for the base and exterior.

You might find a local source for clay and make a cob oven with cinder insulation and basalt exterior. If you intend to make the oven from cut lava rock then you should find a source for refractory mortar materials and cement. A demolished brick building might provide enough solid red brick to make a hearth. However, a Google search revealed a number of stone suppliers and refractory brick producers in Indonesia.

I'd suggest learning as much as possible about wood fired bread oven construction to get an idea of the basic requirements and fabrication methods then adapt your local materials to it. A good source of information is the free Pompeii oven plans and the various Forno Bravo pre-cast ovens.

Best of luck,

Bob

[dmun]

Re: Volcanic rock

I think lburou's suggestion of tapping into local knowledge is a good one. What stone or material is locally used for fireplaces or cooking?

As far as actually using volcanic rock, I would ask, how is it used locally? Is it available in blocks or sheets?

[Nick House]

Re: Volcanic rock

Thank you, I am slowly understanding more and more of the posts. And understanding the importance information in something like this. But in the end I am sure that a bit of practical experimentation is what is really required. What would be the best way to experiment?

[Lburou]

Re: Volcanic rock

Volcanic rock runs the gamut in specific gravity, from heavy basalts to light pumice. The stone resultant from a light and frothy expulsion from a volcanic eruption has more trapped air (read more insulative capacity) that might insulate better than a more dense rock. Either way, the rock will be strong but brittle.

You can build the oven from volcanic rocks, but will likely not have much stored heat energy or insulative affect. But, practicality is king in the remote areas you describe too. You may find some local wisdom in the villages for outdoor cooking....Hopefully a small price to pay for living in paradise

Decomposed volcanic soils become clay eventually. Clay may be available depending on the age of the eruptive materials, you could use that some way I'm sure.

Good Luck